All but a Blur
by TwinKoi
Summary: The slow build up of Barry's and Wally's father/son relationship and as an unstoppable team. A collection of moments together. Not slash. No warnings.
1. Meeting Wally

"Hun, don't worry. It'll be fine."

Barry flashed a huge smile at his wife as they pulled into the parking lot at the park. The sound of music and children laughing filtering through the car window as he killed the engine.

"I know, just a little nervous. I'm still not sure if your family likes me," he admitted, peering out through the windshield at the festivities of the family picnic.

Iris reached over and took hold of Barry's hand reassuringly, "I love you, and that's all that matters."

Barry couldn't help but lean over to press a sweet kiss to his wife's lips, "I love you too. I think I can handle this, plus...I'm starving."

Iris laughed, "When aren't you?"

Barry joined her laughter and hopped out of the car, joining Iris on the other side and wrapping an arm around her waist as they walked for the pavilion. Iris greeted her various relatives as they went, introducing her new husband. Barry nodded and shook hands with as many as he could, already loosing track of all the names thrown at him. But he kept a friendly smile on his face, laughing at all the stupid jokes made and the pointless small talk.

Slowly but surely, he inched his way over to the picnic tables full of food. He swore if he didn't eat soon, everyone would surely hear his stomach grumbling loudly. He eagerly loaded up two plates of food for himself, not caring about the weird looks he was getting from the others around him. He _needed _to eat. His metabolism was burning through his energy faster than a normal human. Not that he could explain that to anyone, not even his wife.

He found an empty table to sit at, ready to dig in, rubbing his hands together in excitement. He shoveled down the first plate of food down with ease and was about to start his second one when his wife placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered into his ear.

"There's someone I want you to meet."

"Huh? Yeah, alright," he said, forcing a smile on his face and sadly departing from his food, following Iris to small circle of people.

"Barry, this is my brother, Rudolph and his wife Mary," Iris introduced with a tight smile that only Barry noticed. With a nod he shook the other man's hand, getting an uneasy feeling from the contact.

"Please to meet ya," rumbled Rudolph, beer can in hand. It was easy to tell that the man had been drinking all day from his slight sway and slur. Barry noted that Mary stood silent with the most fake smile on her face as if to say, 'Yes, we're completely normal and happy. Nothing to see here.'

"Um, where's Wally?" asked Iris at Barry's side.

Rudolph grunted in disgust, leading Barry to believe they were talking about a dog. "He's always wandering off. WALLACE! Get over 'ere!"

Trotted over a tiny, scrawny boy with a bright red mop of hair on his freckled head. Adorable. That was the first word that popped into Barry's head as he looked down at the boy, who stared right back up at him with huge green eyes...full of fear. Barry's stomach dropped as the boy hid behind his mother's leg, hiding his face in her skirt.

"Boy, stop hiding and say hello to yer uncle!" barked Rudolph, grabbing a hold of Wally's tiny arm and yanking him free from his mother, who still stood by passively. Both Barry and Iris tensed up, not liking anything that they saw.

"H-Hello...," mumbled out Wally, looking down at his sneakers, rubbing his arm where his father grabbing him, his skin tinged pink from the force.

"Nice to meet you, Wally," said Barry, kneeling down to the boy's level and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. Wally's eyes went so huge; Barry thought his eyes were going to bug out of his head. The boy gaped at his Uncle as if this was the only kindness he had ever experienced. It broke Barry's heart. He knew nothing about this boy, yet already he wanted to take him home with him and protect him from the obviously abusive and rough nature of his father.

Without asking permission, he took hold of Wally's little hand and started walking with him towards the picnic tables, away from his parents. He _dared_ Rudolph to stop him. But Rudolph sung the praises of Barry for getting the "brat" out of his hair. Barry had to force himself not to turn around and punch the other man in the face. But it really wasn't his place. He only just met Wally minutes ago...and he wasn't Barry's to care for.

"You hungry, kiddo?" asked Barry, pushing the anger and conflicting feelings out of his mind for now. Little Wally nodded and clung to Barry's hand for dear life.

"Come here," he said with a light chuckle, scooping the boy up and carrying him against his hip. Wally let out a squeak at the sudden movement, but relaxed and held onto Barry's shirt, watching closely as Barry made him a plate of food.

Gently sitting Wally down on the bench, he sat next to him and ruffled his vibrantly red hair. "There ya go," he said, laughing to himself as Wally struggled to eat the hot dog, noticing now that one of Wally's front teeth was missing.

Iris joined them, sitting on the other side of Barry, smiling warmly at the two of them. "Looks like you're a natural with kids."

"Just part of my charm," Barry laughed with a wink. As Flash, he loved talking to the kids on the streets. He loved seeing their faces light up as a hero took the time to spend a little time with them. It warmed his heart and gave him a purpose. To protect every little smile.

Wally looked up at Barry silently, gnawing on his hot dog. Barry noticed the child's gaze on him and couldn't help but smile widely, finding the boy just too cute.

For the first time, Wally echoed his smile, giggling softly. Barry chuckled and grabbed a napkin to wipe the ketchup off Wally's freckled cheek, causing Wally to playfully whine and squirm in his seat.

The time with Wally ended way too quickly for Barry's liking, having spent practically the whole day with the boy. He taught him how to play horse shoes, ate cake with him, and sat in the grass, poking around at the bugs. Wally was still a little shy around Barry, but he was now smiling and giggling openly around him.

"I'll see you around, kiddo. Aunt Iris and I will visit soon," Barry promised as he knelt in front of Wally, who was pouting and staring down at the grass. "Be good for your parents, okay?" he said, fondly brushing the red hair back from the boy's forehead. Wally merely nodded and sniffled, not wanting to say good bye. Barry sighed and pulled Wally into a quick hug before pulling away and standing.

Wally gazed up at him with his big, green eyes, still frowning even when Iris leaned down to hug him good bye. Together, the newlyweds went to the car and sadly watched as Wally stood were they left him, not making any effort to move from the spot.

"It's like leaving behind a sad, abandoned puppy," Barry sighed as he started the car.

"I know, love," Iris said, reaching over to pat Barry's knee, "I'll call Mary as see if we can have a family dinner soon, okay?"

"I'd like that."

He waved to Wally one last time as he back the car up. The little boy brightened up and started frantically waving as the car pulled away and disappeared down the street, watching till he couldn't see them anymore. With a sad sigh, he finally turned and returned to his parents, wish he could have left with his Aunt and Uncle.


	2. The Promise

Sorry for the long delay in an update! From the time I started this fic, till now, I graduated college, so a lot has been happening in my life. But I want to thank everyone for such an amazing response to this story! It's really heartwarming to hear from you all and I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

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><p>Barry nervously smoothed down his hair again, using the reflection off the microwave to prim himself. He hadn't been this nervous since he met Iris's parents for the first time. He sighed lowly, trying to keep a calm facade. A smile upturned his lips as he felt Iris's hand on the small of his back as she leaned up to peck his chin.<p>

"You always get so nervous around my family. It's cute," she teased playfully.

Turning slowly, he brought his arms around her, pulling her against his chest as he pressed a little kiss to her lips. "I can't explain it. I aways feel like when they look at me, they're disappointed."

Iris clicked her tongue with a roll of her eyes, "Now you're imagining things. They're just a little uptight. But I know they adore you deep down. And this is just my brother and his family tonight. No pressure."

Barry grinned widely, "You're amazing, you know that?"

"I have a pretty good idea," she joked, looking towards the door as the doorbell rang, "Oh! That must be them."

"I'll get it!" Barry called out before she could protest, jogging for the door, mentally slowing himself down to a human speed.

Opening the door quickly with a large, welcoming smile, he greeted their guests; though his gaze was immediately looking for his little red haired nephew. Rudolph boisterous voice filled the warm, summer air as he gripped Barry's hand in a firm handshake. "Nice to see ya again, Barry," he man barked out.

Barry kindly returned the handshake with a nod, "It's great to have you over. We've been looking for an excuse to break in the dining room."

Mary pipped up with a cautious smile, "It's a beautiful home, Barry. You and Iris did a wonderful job with the renovation."

Barry sheepishly rubbed the back of his head with a grin, "It was nothing, just a few coats of new paint. Hey, where is the little guy?" He couldn't help but notice his nephew's absence.

Rudolph grunted, "Where did he get off to this time? Wallace!"

Barry peeked around Rudolph's large frame, smiling as he saw Wally pop his little head out of the bushes; his red hair standing out brightly against the leaves. He boy's eyes were wide as he gaped up at his parents, looking as if he was going to turn and hide back into the bush.

"I'll get him! Iris is in the kitchen," he said with a chuckle, running down the front steps to retrieve the small boy. He could hear Rudolph's grumbling disappear into the house, feeling a little victorious. As soon as he was within the boy's view, Wally launched himself out of the bush, latching onto Barry's leg.

"Uncle Barry!" he boy giggled out joyfully, beaming up at Barry.

Barry could feel his heart warm instantly, amazed that the boy was just as excited to see each other as he was. Dropping down to his knee, he gently pulled the boy into a warm, tight hug. He chuckled again softly as he felt Wally's arms go around his neck to return the hug before they separated. "What are you doing in the bush, champ?"

"I found a bug!" Wally explained excitedly, diving back into to the bush.

"Oh? What kind of bug? A creepy, crawly kind?"

"No, a fuzzy and squirmy one!" Wally popped back out of the bush, grinning widely, cupping his hands around his captured bug.

"Oh yeah? Let's have a look at him then," Barry egged him on, holding out his own hands for the bug.

Wally stuck out his tongue as he very carefully placed the caterpillar in Barry's larger hands. He was fascinated by how gentle the boy was; he himself had squashed many a bug accidentally as a kid. But Wally was different.

"Well, hello there, Mr. Caterpillar," Barry said with a chuckle, letting the little white bug inch around his palm.

"Caterpillar? You mean he's a baby butterfly?" Wally asked eagerly, gaping widely at the bug.

"Exactly! We should let him go, he's got a lot of leaves to eat," Barry explained as he let the caterpillar crawl back onto a leaf. "And we should go eat too, I'm sure dinner is almost ready."

Standing up, Barry brushed the dirt off of his knees as he straightened out. He noticed a big smudge of dirt on Wally's cheek, along with his dirty hands. Barry couldn't help but chuckle, "But first, we better clean you up a bit."

Wally wrinkled his freckled nose in distaste, "Do I have to take a bath?"

"Nope, just a good hand washing and you're good," Barry explained, hoisting the boy up into his arms, perching him on his hip as he carried him inside.

Passing the dinning room, where he heard Rudolph telling a story rather loudly, he took Wally into the bathroom. Setting the boy on the counter, he grabbed a wash cloth and ran it under some warm water, lathering it up with soap as Wally started to ramble on about the types of bugs he found in his own yard.

"And once, I found this reeeeeally big bug! It was black and it was really scary! But I wasn't really afraid, it was just scary looking."

"Did you? Did it bite?" Barry asked with a warm smile as he turned to Wally, gently rolling up the boy's sleeves. He paused, his stomach twisting into a cold knot, finding a large, purple bruise on Wally's forearm. His mind raced, trying to stay calm and not jump to conclusions. He got many scrapes and bruises as a child himself, but never one this huge or angry looking.

Wally gasped lightly, his face growing pale as he tried to pull away from Barry completely. In a calm, warm voice, he asked, "Wally? Where did you get this bruise?"

"I-I don't know…," the boy mumbled, looking away, still trying to get away.

"Wally…please, you can tell me. I won't get angry or upset. I just want to help." Barry gently rubbed at Wally's back, keeping him from squirming off the counter.

"M-My mom said not to tell anyone…not even my teachers."

Red flags sprung up in Barry's mind; it was growing clear that this was no accidental bruise. This was a sign of abuse. And he had a good idea from whom.

"I promise this will stay between you and me, Wally. I won't tell anyone else. I just care about you and I want to keep you safe."

Wally blinked and looked up at him, confusion and fear behind his green eyes. "Safe?"

Smiling sadly, Barry nodded slowly, kneeling down to Wally's level. "I want to protect you, Wally."

Fidgeting a little from his spot on the counter, Wally gulped, "M-My dad…grabbed me really hard. I got in trouble at school…and he…" The boy couldn't finished the rest of the story, but Barry could guess the rest.

"Wally, I want you to make a promise with me, okay? It's very important, understand?" Barry said slowly as he started to clean up Wally's hands.

The boy nodded, "I understand, Uncle Barry."

"I'm going to give you my cell phone number. Keep it safe and I want you to call me whenever you feel scared at home. And I will come pick you up and bring you here. No matter what. Even if it's three in the morning, I'll be there."

Wally stared at him from a long moment; the boy trying to absorb and understand all his uncle was offering to him. Large tears started to well up in his eyes, whispering softly, "I-I promise, Uncle Barry…"

"It'll be alright, I got you." Barry warmly wrapped his arms around Wally tightly, holding him against his chest. Wally sniffled pitifully against Barry's shoulder, clutching onto his sweater tightly. "Shhhh, you're okay. I promise."

Slowly the trembling boy in his arms calmed, Barry reaching to wipe the last few tears from his cheeks. "You ready for some food? Your aunt made enough food to feed a small army."

Wally giggled and hopped down from the counter with Barry's help, "Nu-uh!"

"Yeah-huh! Just you wait!" Barry laughed brightly, ruffling Wally's hair as they made their way back to the dinning room. Barry helped Wally into the chair next to him, making sure to be as far away from Rudolph as possible. Anger flared up inside of him every time he caught the other man's gaze, hating every inch of him for hurting his own son. But he somehow managed to keep his cool, mostly for the fact Wally kept babbling to him inbetween every bite.

The rest of the night went on smoothly and without a hitch. Barry was someone reluctant to let Wally leave with his parents, yet again. But he trusted Wally to call him if he needed help. He slipped a small piece of paper into Wally's pocket, with his number written on it. He whispered to the boy as he hugged him goodbye, "Remember, I'm just a call away. I can be there in a flash."

Barry stood with his wife in silence on the porch as he watched them pull away in their van, letting out a soft sigh once the vehicle was out of sight. "What's the matter, love?" Iris asked, picking up instantly on her husband's burdened mood.

"I don't want to say…They're your family and I respect that-"

"Just say it, Barry, you'll feel better if you do. I know you, you'll let it eat you up inside," she urged gently, taking hold of his hand.

"I found a bruise on Wally. A bruise Rudolph gave him." His words hung in the air, he could tell Iris was choosing her response carefully.

"I had a feeling there was something going on…But I will not turn a blind eye. We just have to act carefully or we'll make it worse."

"I know, I gave Wally my cell number, so he could call us."

"I really hope he does.


	3. Rushing Home

"See you tomorrow, Allen."

"Yeah, goodnight!" Barry called out cheerfully to his co-worker as the other left, waving from his desk. Letting out a heavy sigh, Barry checked his wrist watch, noting that he was already late for dinner. By three hours.

Even being the fastest man alive, he couldn't break the habit of constantly being late. It was getting harder and harder to balance his civilian job at the lab and his duty as the Flash. Especially while hiding it all from his wife.

Pushing himself up from his desk, he shucked off his lab coat and draped it over the back of his chair for the night. Just as he was about to flick off the lights and head through the door, he felt his cellphone vibrate in his pocket. A slight smile touched his lips, thinking it was Iris checking up on him.

As he flipped the phone open and pressed it to his ear, his heart stopped dead in his chest as he heard the whimper from the other end.

"U-Uncle Barry?"

"Wally? Are you okay? What's wrong?" The words let him in a breathless rush, his mind already racing a mile a minute, trying to figure out the fastest way to get to Wally. Fastest and safest.

"C-Can you come get me? M-My dad, he…I'm really scared…"

"Of course, Wally. I'll be there before you know it. Is your dad home?"

Barry tried to keep his voice calm and reassuring, even though his hands started to shake. He could be at Wally's door in exactly a minute as the Flash, but he couldn't just show up dressed like that. Nor could he just change before getting Wally, not having a car to safely drive him back in. Damn, he hated keeping this all a secret, especially when it interfered with Wally's safety.

But he had to focus and hold it together. For Wally.

"N-No, he left…"

"Good, I'm driving over right now." He cheated a little and used his powers to race to his car at top speed. "Wally, I need you to be a big boy and be careful, okay? Stay in your room if you need to."

"I w-will…" Wally's tiny voice broke with an upset hiccup.

"It'll be alright. I promise. Can you pack a bag with your pajamas?" Barry was already in his car, getting on the highway with a sharp eye out for police as he weaved in and out of traffic.

"I-I'm staying the night?" It was hard to miss the surprise and excitement in Wally's voice, making Barry smile to himself.

"Yes, I'm going to hang up so I can drive, but call back if you need me, okay?"

"Okay, Uncle Barry….see you soon?"

"Faster than soon. Bye kiddo."

"Bye," Wally said quietly, hanging up the phone with a click.

Barry's foot pressed the gas pedal to the floor, coaxing more speed from the engine, a far cry from the speeds he could reach on foot. His fingers were a blur across the keys of his phone, dialing Iris' cell phone.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, Mister," Iris answered on the first ring. She had obviously been waiting for any word from him; it made his stomach twist with guilt.

"I know, I'm really sorry, I am. But Wally just called me…I think his dad…" It was hard to voice what that man could have done to his own child. It was sickening to think that someone could hurt such an innocent little boy.

"Is he okay? What's going on?" Her voice took on a hard, worried tone.

"I'm not sure, but I'm going to pick him up now."

"Good! We'll figure out what to do once he's here safe. Barry if something happens to him-"

"He'll be okay, I'm almost there now. I'll be home with him soon, I promise," Barry said firmly, determined to get his nephew to safety.

"Be careful, Barry…"

"I always am, see you soon."

Flipping his phone shut with a flick of his wrist, he tossed his phone onto the passenger seat as he turned the car down the street, the tires squealing against the asphalt in protest.

By the time Barry pulled up to the house, his hands were shaking so hard, he feared he was going to vibrate right through the steering wheel. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he jumped out of the car and resisted the urge to speed up the front steps of the house.

Everything appeared normal from the outside. The porch light emitting a soft, yellow glow; nothing but the sound of crickets chirping reaching his ears. Before his knuckles even touched the door to knock, it was thrown open by a very distraught looking Mary.

"Oh! Mary, I-"

"I am so sorry. This should have never happened. I assure you everything is alright. Wally just gets...a little out of hand sometimes. You see, he has an overactive imagination," Mary tried to explain in a rush, clutching her bathrobe tightly around her.

"No really, it's okay. I completely understand," Barry forced a smile on his face, trying to appear as calm and collected as possible. No need to raise any alarm, not when he wanted to get Wally out of the house. "I was the same way as a kid."

Mary let out a tense laugh that sounded more like a dry choke, standing her ground firmly, refusing to let Barry even get a glimpse inside.

"Listen, why don't I take Wally for the weekend, that way he's out of your hair for a bit. You and Rudolph can have a nice, relaxing weekend. Iris and I need practice with kids anyway." If this approach didn't work, he wasn't above taking Wally the hard way. The Flash way.

"W-Well...," Mary hesitated for a long moment, glancing over her shoulder for a moment. "I suppose that would be okay. Just as long as he back on Sunday, I can't see why Rudolph will mind."

Before Barry could even open his mouth to speak, Wally was squirming past his mother's legs and running to Barry. Without any hesitation, he scooped the small boy up. Wally's arms were around his neck tightly, clutching to him for dear life. "See you on Sunday," Barry said as he turned from Mary, heading to the car without a second glance.


End file.
